Processing backlog for study permits

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In 2021, IRCC reported a 56% increase in study permit applications over 2020 as well as receiving 175,000 applications in the first quarter of 2022 alone. This has resulted in long processing times for study permit applications.

However, ICEF Monitor recently reported IRCC data that indicates a total of 621,565 study permits were held by international students attending programs of at least six months’ duration in 2021, which is still below pre-pandemic levels.

As of July 17, there were nearly 200,000 people waiting for their initial study permit application to be processed. The IRCC processing time tool says study permits for those outside of Canada takes 12 weeks on average to process if they are not applying for the Student Direct Stream.

Parliamentary Recommendations

To combat processing times and improve immigration policy, a report by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration has been brought to the House of Commons in Ottawa that lists 35 key recommendations.

The recommendations call for more transparency in showing the criteria IRCC uses when selecting students as well as allowing more flexibility for the evidence used to establish that an applicant meets the financial criteria.

The report also added that there needs to be more collaboration between IRCC, the provinces and designated learning institutions to regulate recruiters who travel and recruit from abroad and ensuring that they are providing prospective students with information on how to spot fraud and scams.

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